First affordable housing development in five years to open in Crescent Heights

The first affordable housing unit to open in five years is now available in Crescent Heights.

The new development, at 210 15th Ave. N.E., will accommodate individuals and families living on lower incomes who do not have access to market-level rental units.

The three-storey, 16-unit apartment complex has four studio units, four one-bedroom units, four two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units.

One of the apartments is built to accommodate the visually impaired with features such as high contrast finishes, diffused, indirect lighting and a strobe smoke and carbon-dioxide detector.

Calgary Housing Co. will manage the building, and currently has 4,000 households on the wait list for affordable housing. Two-hundred and forty-five eligible applications are being processed per month.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said there is a desperate need for affordable housing.

“Affordable housing supports people of all ages, family compositions, demographics, people who require a safe and stable home and decent place to live as the foundation of being able to participate in the community,” said Nenshi.

Funding for the development was provided by the provincial government with a $2.1-million Housing Capital Initiative grant, and by the municipal government with $1.4 million from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.

MLA for Calgary-North West, Sandra Jansen, said the provincial government is investing $1.2 billion over five years to support seniors and affordable housing across Alberta.

“That is money that is going to change the face of the housing situation in this province,” said Jansen.

The Crescent Heights development is a mixed model approach to housing. This means families from a variety of incomes will be able to live there.

“For example, families in this development will be able to rent as low as $350 a month, so that they have the ability to invest in education, food and other essentials for well-being,” said Sarah Woodgate, director of the Calgary Housing Company.

The rent from the units will not be for profit, but rather go back into supporting low-income households.

“This provides a sustainable operating model and creates an opportunity for flexibility to remain within their community as the financial situation changes,” said Woodgate.

“(It’s) a beautiful development, a beautiful community and they fit together so well and they tell everybody that there is nothing to be afraid of in welcoming these kinds of units into the community. In fact, they can make your community stronger, bring people together, and people help make communities stronger,” said Jansen.

The Crescent Heights model is one that can be replicated throughout the city, said Coun. Druh Farrell.

“It’s less expensive to build because there are no common corridors, no elevators and no common areas. It decreases the operating costs and the cost of construction,” said Teresa Goldstein, manager of affordable housing.

Several other affordable housing developments are currently underway, including a 32-household development in Kingsland, 24 new homes in Bridgeland, a 48-household development in Wildwood and 16 future homes in Rosedale.

Calgary Housing has also completed a regenerated 26-unit affordable housing development in Bankview, and a community celebration will be held May 26.

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